A motion sending condolences to Dr Helen Haines MP passed unanimously at Hilltops Council on Wednesday 28 October, but an amendment adding clauses condemning violence was lost on the mayor’s casting vote. Councillor James Blackwell moved the motion in response to the alleged attack on federal member for Indi Dr Helen Haines in Wangaratta on Monday 19 October. Cr Blackwell told the meeting the motion originally included clauses condemning political violence, intimidation and harassment, and urging more respectful debate in the community. He said he removed them after a phone call on Wednesday 28 October advising they could detract from the motion if people decided to point-score. He said that was not acting with courage and moved to put them back in as an amendment. Mayor Brian Ingram told the meeting he was the person who had phoned. He said Cr Blackwell had texted to seek his support, and that he advised he would speak against the two clauses because a similar proposal had been voted down before. Cr Ingram said he did not want to taint what he considered a thoughtful tribute to Cr Blackwell’s friend. Cr Blackwell said the amendment was not a personal attack and that circumstances had changed since the earlier vote, and other councils had passed similar motions. Councillor Mary Dodd proposed an additional clause drawing on the councillors’ code of conduct, the Australian Human Rights Commission’s statement and Wangaratta Council’s response, saying Hilltops needed to remain a place where people felt safe and were treated with respect. Councillor Tony Flanery said he would support the amendment only if the word “political” was removed, as he was not aware of any proof the attack was politically motivated. Cr Blackwell removed the word, but Cr Flanery did not vote for the amendment. The vote on the amendment was tied, and Cr Ingram used his casting vote against it. The original motion was then passed unanimously. Cr Blackwell later posted about the meeting on Facebook. In a comment on the post, Cr Ingram described Cr Blackwell as "the most divisive councillor he had seen in local government since 2012" and called his conduct "hypocrisy". Cr Ingram was contacted by this masthead and said the matter was now resolved, and declined the opportunity to make any further comment.
